Notes from the Director
Stephen Bromage
July showcased the best of Maine Historical Society. The campus buzzed during the days. Congratulations to 20-something historians Carter Stevens and Ian Saxine for their wonderful talks, each of which drew large, eager crowds and offered fresh scholarly research and perspectives. Here comes the next generation of Maine historians!
Likewise, the library has been packed--literally--with researchers of all stripes for much of the past month. We have hosted family reunions, and led hundreds of visitors on walking tours of Portland. In the field, new communities received Maine Memory Network training, and more fascinating material was added to the site.
Finally, our new evening garden series has provided opportunities to enjoy the peacefulness and beauty of the surroundings, while experiencing a diverse array of programming.
As you'll see here, August provides many more such opportunities. We hope you'll take advantage of them.
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Summer Hours
June - September
Longfellow House & Garden
Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm; Sundays 12 - 5pm. Call for tour times: 207-774-1822
Museum & Store
Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm; Sundays 12 - 5pm
Brown Library
Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm
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Spotlight
New Director of Development, Nan Cumming
Last month, Nan Cumming returned to the Maine Historical Society after a 13-year absence. Having worked for MHS in a variety of capacities from 1989 to 1999, Nan is now taking on the role of Director of Development. Nan will be managing all fundraising functions along with Elizabeth Nash and Jen Blodgett.
Nan's "hiatus" from MHS included a 12-year stint as the Executive Director of Portland Trails--a land trust and trail building organization in Portland. For the past year and a half, Nan has been managing a capital campaign for the Maine Island Trail Association. "My experiences at Portland Trails and MITA were very meaningful and rewarding for me--and I'll continue to volunteer for both organizations," Nan says, "but the prospect of returning to MHS is incredibly exciting--the place has evolved and grown so much. This is a homecoming to be sure--but to a vastly different organization!" Nan and husband Drew Masterman live on Portland's Munjoy Hill. Both earned their MAs in American and New England Studies from the University of Southern Maine and have put some of that knowledge to work renovating two triple-decker apartment buildings.
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Your gift to the Annual Fund will help more than 3,000 elementary school students discover Maine history this year.
Please make your gift today. Visit us online or call 207-774-1822.
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Travel with MHS
Annual Trip
October 13-27, 2013
 A few spaces still left!
NEW! Select an option: Take the entire 14-day excursion that explores the beauty and magic of Rome and the Chianti region of Tuscany, with seven days of sailing from Venice to the heart of Italy along the Po River or meet the group in Venice and take only the week-long Po River Cruise portion of the trip.
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We are re-sending the August e-connection from last Monday with the photos. Thanks for your patience as we resolved the issue.
Please note that some of the programs have already occurred.
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Historical Image: Munjoy Hill Reservoir Break, Portland, 1893
 | | MMN #25608 |
At 5:30 am, on Sunday, August 6, 1893, Mrs. A. M. Jones noticed an ominous sign: a trickle leaking out of the Portland Water Company's reservoir on Munjoy Hill's North Street. That trickle soon became a 20-foot wave carrying 20 million gallons of water, causing death and destruction. Be sure to zoom into this photo to see the detail of the flood, the collapsed buildings, and awestruck bystanders. Other images of this event can be found here and here.
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MHS News
"Local & Legendary: Maine in the Civil War" Teams Kick off Projects at Bowdoin Orientation
Community teams from Belfast, Gorham-Windham, Portland-Westbrook, and Presque Isle met at Bowdoin College in July for a three-day orientation to their year-long Civil War projects. The "Local & Legenday" program is a partnership between MHS and Maine Humanities Council, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, that will support a total of 10 Maine towns over two years. Teams research local Civil War history, digitize collections and create an exhibit on Maine Memory Network, run a "one book" program in their community, and host a custom-designed theatrical event. At the July orientation, team members--from historical societies, libraries, and schools--received technical training, participated in project planning, and were immersed in Civil War history. Scholars Libby Bischof (USM), Tom DesJardins (Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands), and Patrick Rael (Bowdoin College) provided the historical context through readings, lecture, and discussion.  | |
The remains of the wheel mill at the site of the former Oriental Power Mill, or "Gambo Mill," in Gorham. The wheel mill was used to grind together gunpowder ingredients.
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The teams are now off and running with their projects. The first to hold a formal team meeting was the Gorham-Windham team on July 30; other meetings will take place throughout August. The Gorham meeting was followed by a tour of the Gambo Mill remains. The site once housed a large complex of buildings that produced 25% of all the gunpowder used during the Civil War. To stay up to date with the Local & Legendary project, be sure to follow the Maine Memory Network blog throughout the year.
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August Programs & Events
Click on the event title for details
Wednesday, August 7, 5:30pm
Hands-On Historic Gardening: A Workshop
With Jeff O'Donal, Owner, O'Donal's Nursery
Join us for a hands-on exploration of the issues and opportunities in maintaining or re-creating an historic garden. Free; registration required and space is limited. Call 207-774-1822 to sign up.
Wednesday, August 7, 12:00pm
Intro to MHS: Library Catalog Workshop MHS Research Librarian Jamie Kingman Rice provides in-depth instruction of the MHS library catalog, Minerva, including how to search and access records, as well as other databases available for research. Program lasts about 45 minutes. Free; registration required and space is limited. Call 207-774-1822 to sign up.
Wednesday, August 21, 12:00pm
Intro to MHS: Maine Memory Network Demonstration
Director of Digital Projects Kathy Amoroso provides an in-depth review of content and search functions on Maine's premier statewide digital museum. Bring a laptop or tablet and search as you go. Free; registration required and space is limited. Call 207-774-1822 to sign up.
Featured Program Thursday, August 22, 7:00pm
Book Event: The Art of Katahdin with author David Little
David Little has written a new book on Maine's beloved highest peak. With more than 200 illustrations and 15 essays, Art of Katahdin is a chronicle of the many artists who found inspiration in Katahdin including Marsden Hartley, Frederic Church, John Marin, and many others--including Little himself. The book includes early renderings and maps, as well as numerous contemporary views. The talk and slideshow will be followed by a book signing. For more on David Little click here.
Old Port Walking Tours offered daily at 1:30pm
Our Historic Portland Walking Tours vividly depict events and scenery from Portland's past. Areas discussed include Congress Street, Monument Square, Post Office Park, Exchange Street, Fore Street, Boothby Square and Commercial Street. This is a guided, weather-permitting tour limited to approximately 12 people. Tickets are $10 and include admission to our museum exhibit This Rebellion: Maine and the Civil War. For a combo Walking Tour/Longfellow House Tour, tickets are $15.
Fall Programs
Stay up to date with our programs, events, and exhibits planned for this fall by checking in with our programs and events page, and by reading This Week at MHS, the weekly e-news delivered right to your inbox. Stay tuned for War of 1812 programs in early September!
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From the Collections
American schoolgirl art is well represented in the collections of the Maine Historical Society, mostly in the form of embroidered samplers and other needlework, but two beautifully hand-drawn wall maps in the library recently caught our eye. They are the work of students at the Cony Female Academy in Augusta, and represent a shift in the education of women in the first quarter of the 19th century.
Before the American Revolution the education of young people in what is now Maine was an informal effort, under local jurisdiction...Continue reading this blog post by MHS Registrar Holly Hurd-Forsyth.
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Seen at MHS
1822 Founders Council Cocktail Party, July 10
 | | Marjorie Moody, Jim Moody, Charlie Whittier |
Former MHS board president Katherine Pope and her husband Chris Harte hosted more than 50 trustees and members of the Maine Historical Society 1822 Founders Council at their home in Cumberland. Details and photos on our blog.
Longfellow Garden Series
 This six-piece Serenade Band of Portland's Centennial Brass Band, recreating a group of the 1850-1875 period, kicked off our Longfellow Garden Series on July 17. Visit our facebook page for more photos from these events.
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Museum Store
Vintage Maine Images at the Museum Store & New iPad Kiosk
 Visit the Museum Store and see our new Vintage Maine Images iPad kiosk. Browse more than 21,000 historical images of Maine and more than 650 images of towns throughout New England. Available as digital files or prints, shopping for the perfect gift is easy: login...browse...purchase! As always, MHS members receive a 10% discount on orders.
We also have new VMI-inspired merchandise in the store--come in and see what's new. Bring a piece of history home.
Visit VMI in the museum store or online today!
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